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Highlighting USTS drivers and families---Amy Nydahl
Today, 05:30 PM
This fall/winter I have decided to take on a project to keep me from going nuts with being quarantined since March. That project is to highlight any number of our drivers and family support mechanisms that make up a great racing organization called the US Title Series a venerable organization well into 30 plus years of Pro Racing. Any family/driver/crew that would like to participate you can reach me through FB and let me know and we will be off to the races.
The drivers and families that I will highlight will begin with the family of the Title Series President Pete Nydahl and in particular Amy Gesler(Nydahl) We will follow up with more on Kurt, Pete, and cannot forget the glue that it holds it all together in Kelly Nydahl.
I am going to take a little license here at the start and kind of reach back into the memory bank from years gone by. The Nydahl racing family have been at this for a very long time as Ray Nydahl was one of the toughest of the tough, driving the big C,D,F classes back in the golden age of outboard racing. Ray was a top mechanic and built hardware used in our great sport. He and his angel Dolly were at the races and were a force. I believe Ray was also one of the leaders in bringing Evinrude to the forefront of OPC racing when building their engines. Ray was a rough tough character and his stare could make you wilt where you stood, but I loved the guy. My favorite thing when Ray was still alive and coming to DePue to support his Son Pete, he sat up on the hill in one of the little shelters and when I had to use the little block facility after announcing at break time, I would have to walk by him and he would always yell, hey Rodda, what the hell are you doing, then a big grin would come and he would give me a compliment on the announcing, believe me that made my day.
Their Son Pete followed into the sport and was equally a champ and front runner in any race he was in. Pete had one of those memorable oh poop moments at Depue several years ago in I believe 700H. He came up for the start and was headed to the first turn and right in front of the announcing booth, the whole transom blew out of the boat and it was butt end over tea kettle, but fortunately he was ok. Another story on Pete and Kelly Amy, their daughter Amy was just a tyke and we were at Kingston, Tn. over the 4th of July weekend. I had to be in Mobile, Al the next day for my day job with Marvin Windows, so I hung around to see the fireworks over Watts Barr Lake, and ran into Pete and Kelly who were camping near the pit area and getting ready for a shore dinner. They were kind enough to invite me to dinner with them and I’ve never forgot their kindness.
Having gone back in time to Grandpa Ray, Dad Pete, now comes a young woman who has taken the Pro category by storm, she being Amy Gesler is one of the top drivers of Pro Equipment anywhere in the country. If you can beat her and her team, you have a great takeaway as this young woman is one of the most accomplished drivers that we have currently and would be ranked in the top echelon of retired drivers. I have been announcing USTS races for 36 years and I could not tell you how many national titles she has taken home, BTW, neither could she when I asked her how many. That number of course is dwarfed by the number of heat wins that she was showing her rooster tail to the field. Often chased or exchanging wins with her brother Kurt, who is a champion in his own right. More on Kurt in the next article.
Today, 05:30 PM
This fall/winter I have decided to take on a project to keep me from going nuts with being quarantined since March. That project is to highlight any number of our drivers and family support mechanisms that make up a great racing organization called the US Title Series a venerable organization well into 30 plus years of Pro Racing. Any family/driver/crew that would like to participate you can reach me through FB and let me know and we will be off to the races.
The drivers and families that I will highlight will begin with the family of the Title Series President Pete Nydahl and in particular Amy Gesler(Nydahl) We will follow up with more on Kurt, Pete, and cannot forget the glue that it holds it all together in Kelly Nydahl.
I am going to take a little license here at the start and kind of reach back into the memory bank from years gone by. The Nydahl racing family have been at this for a very long time as Ray Nydahl was one of the toughest of the tough, driving the big C,D,F classes back in the golden age of outboard racing. Ray was a top mechanic and built hardware used in our great sport. He and his angel Dolly were at the races and were a force. I believe Ray was also one of the leaders in bringing Evinrude to the forefront of OPC racing when building their engines. Ray was a rough tough character and his stare could make you wilt where you stood, but I loved the guy. My favorite thing when Ray was still alive and coming to DePue to support his Son Pete, he sat up on the hill in one of the little shelters and when I had to use the little block facility after announcing at break time, I would have to walk by him and he would always yell, hey Rodda, what the hell are you doing, then a big grin would come and he would give me a compliment on the announcing, believe me that made my day.
Their Son Pete followed into the sport and was equally a champ and front runner in any race he was in. Pete had one of those memorable oh poop moments at Depue several years ago in I believe 700H. He came up for the start and was headed to the first turn and right in front of the announcing booth, the whole transom blew out of the boat and it was butt end over tea kettle, but fortunately he was ok. Another story on Pete and Kelly Amy, their daughter Amy was just a tyke and we were at Kingston, Tn. over the 4th of July weekend. I had to be in Mobile, Al the next day for my day job with Marvin Windows, so I hung around to see the fireworks over Watts Barr Lake, and ran into Pete and Kelly who were camping near the pit area and getting ready for a shore dinner. They were kind enough to invite me to dinner with them and I’ve never forgot their kindness.
Having gone back in time to Grandpa Ray, Dad Pete, now comes a young woman who has taken the Pro category by storm, she being Amy Gesler is one of the top drivers of Pro Equipment anywhere in the country. If you can beat her and her team, you have a great takeaway as this young woman is one of the most accomplished drivers that we have currently and would be ranked in the top echelon of retired drivers. I have been announcing USTS races for 36 years and I could not tell you how many national titles she has taken home, BTW, neither could she when I asked her how many. That number of course is dwarfed by the number of heat wins that she was showing her rooster tail to the field. Often chased or exchanging wins with her brother Kurt, who is a champion in his own right. More on Kurt in the next article.
